Last week on October 17th, the Alliance hosted a powerful policy summit focused on reforming support for youth in and transitioning out of the child welfare system. Bringing together young people with lived experience, parents, caregivers, advocates, and experts, the summit addressed racial disparities and systemic inequities impacting youth aged 16-24. Attendees collaborated on policy recommendations aimed at fostering a system that empowers young people to achieve their goals. The event also marked the release of our draft report, Supporting Their Journey: The Path to Racial Equity in Child Welfare for Transition Age Youth, which outlines challenges in the current system and proposes solutions for lasting change.
Key focus areas discussed:
- Addressing systemwide racial disproportionalities and disparities
- Supporting successful transitions to adulthood
- Providing housing stability
- Ensuring access to essential resources (food, education, behavioral health services)
- Addressing permanency disruptions
- Providing targeted support for expectant and parenting youth and youth victimized by commercial sexual exploitation
Next Steps:
We are currently incorporating the feedback received on the draft report. The final version will be released in December. We encourage you to share it with your networks and continue the conversation about how we can collectively promote positive change for transition age youth in foster care.
